When it comes to online marketing, you get what you pay for! In our recent blog, 4 Ways Social Media Can Elevate Your Brand and Business Results, we stated that “establishing a strong and strategic online presence takes time, advanced tools, and a hefty dose of expert knowledge.” As an entrepreneur and seasoned business owner, it may be tempting to develop your own website and create your own graphics instead of working with industry professionals. However, cutting corners to “save money” is bad for business and makes you look like an amateur. It may also negatively affect your bottom line, costing you far more in the long run — not just money, but also your credibility and brand reputation. Just because there are DIY tools out there doesn’t mean you should use them. Today in our blog, we will cover why hiring professional graphic designers, website developers, and writers is critical for the success of your business and brand.
Calling yourself a graphic designer doesn’t mean you are one.
Online tools are limited, and there is a big misconception that a basic knowledge of them makes someone a graphic designer. Professional graphic designers have the credentials, skill, and experience to create visually attractive and effective designs for both digital and print applications. They are talented and trained in design principles, color theory, and branding, including scale, proportion, balance, alignment, placement hierarchy, image resolution, typography, utilizing style guides to assist with keeping brand integrity intact, and more. They understand the best fonts to convey marketing messages, what makes a good (and instantly recognizable) logo, and how to ensure your brand’s identity is cohesive and compelling across your website, marketing materials, and social media platforms. Professional graphic designers also have access to—and fully understand how to use—advanced tools, such as Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator, to create high-quality, professionally designed custom graphics that convey trustworthiness, professionalism, and attention to detail.
Website design and development requires a lot more than you think.
Your website is the gateway to your sales funnel, and when it comes to your brand and business, website design and development is best left to the professionals! These experts have the technical skills and experience to build secure and efficient websites, tailored to your specific needs and goals, with custom designs, user-friendly features, and fun, interactive elements. They understand how to craft a responsive design that is optimized for performance and speed, works well on all devices, including desktop computers and various mobile devices, and follows ADA compliance accessibility guidelines for people with disabilities. Professional website developers also know how to implement security measures to protect your site from hackers, malware, and other threats. They can help with ongoing maintenance, security, website backups, and updating plugins. They also know how to integrate tools and applications and how to set up your site with Google Analytics to gain valuable insight on user behavior, traffic sources, page views and landing, and more.
Your written message is the voice of your brand and business, so it needs to be good.
As the voice of your brand and business, blogs and social media posts have the power to establish thought leadership in your industry and the ever-important “know, like, trust” factor. Crafting this content is an art that requires skill, creativity, a strong understanding of SEO and the soft-sell, and, of course, impeccable grammar. There is a big difference between someone who can write and a professional copywriter with experience and credentials. Solely relying on generative AI, such as ChatGPT and others, to create your written content can also be risky. These tools are limited and lack the substance, accuracy, nuance, and tone of a professional (and human) writer. In fact, OpenAI, the developers of ChatGPT, admit that it can be “excessively verbose” and repetitive, with “plausible-sounding but incorrect or nonsensical answers.” And according to Medium, the “risks of plagiarism are high” with generative AI, “which can harm your reputation and credibility.”
Savvy entrepreneurs know that outsourcing their social media marketing efforts allows them to focus their time and energy on what they do best. The truth is, you wouldn’t bake your own wedding cake, stitch your own cut, build your own house, or fill your own cavity — so why would you DIY your professional brand? Don’t look like an amateur. Working with professional graphic designers, website developers, and writers always leads to the best results and can actually improve your bottom line, building brand awareness, fostering customer engagement, establishing credibility and thought leadership, and driving traffic to generate leads and convert them into sales.
At Aliya Hammond Consulting, we are committed to helping you grow your target audience and business. Our services include Social Media Management and Marketing, Graphic Design, Web Development, Blog Writing, and more, and we are happy to help. Contact us today for more information or to get started!
You’ve probably realized by now that Social Media is no longer an option. In fact, it is a vital and highly successful tool for building a business. Aliya Hammond Consulting is an online Digital Marketing, Training, and Consulting Company headquartered in the Greater Philadelphia area. We specialize in Social Media Management and Marketing, Social Media Training and Coaching, Blog Writing, Video and Audiogram Production, and Graphic/Web Design Services for small and large businesses, entrepreneurs, and non-profit organizations. If you are looking to improve or increase your online presence, you can rest assured you are in good hands with us. Contact Aliya Hammond Consulting today to find out how we can help your business grow!
